Putrajaya: A Fast Fact Guide
Need fodder to strike up a conversation at the Malaysia Red Bull Air Race? This will sort you out.
Interesting Facts About Putrajaya
© Andreas Schaad/Red Bull Content Pool
Besides hosting the Malaysian leg of the Red Bull Air Race this May, the Federal Administrative Capital of Malaysia is also renowned for a number of unique attributes. Here are a few that you may find useful ahead of the race.
THE BIRTH OF A CITY
Before it became a thriving metropolis and Malaysia’s Federal Administrative Capital, Putrajaya was a rich estate that was predominantly covered in rubber and palm oil plantations. Known as Prang Besar, the area was selected by former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad as the site of the country’s new administrative capital as it had the space and was strategically located in between capital city Kuala Lumpur and the KL International Airport. The project began in 1993 and took approximately six years before it was eventually completed at a reported cost of over RM4.6 billion. In 2001, the city became a self-governing federal territory.
Mohammed Balooshi on the Seri Saujana Bridge.
© Victor Fraile/Red Bull Content Pool
THE EIGHT BRIDGES
Approximately, there are a total of eight bridges in Putrajaya itself, all of which are built over the 650-hectare man-made lake. In addition to connecting the city and the numerous Government and administrative buildings, the bridges have also become landmarks in their own right owing to the distinct architecture each one of them has. The Sri Perdana Bridge for example boasts Moorish influences whilst the Seri Wawasan Bridge offers a more contemporary design, making it easily one of the most iconic landmarks of Putrajaya. The other notable bridges, namely the Seri Wawasan Bridge, Sri Saujana Bridge and the Seri Gemilang Bridge are popular with photographers, even more so at night when each of them are lit-up, providing a welcome contrast to the city.
Besenyei flies over the iconic Putajaya Lake
© Jörg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
THE MAN-MADE LAKE
The centre piece of Putrajaya remains its vast man-made lake. The Putrajaya Lake measures in at over 650-hectares and was designed as a natural cooling system for the city. It has also become a recreational site for locals, many of which use the lake for fishing, water sports as well as transportation. The Putrajaya Lake Cruise is also a popular tourist attraction and the lake itself has hosted a number of international events in the past ten years. In 2004, the Putrajaya Lake was the venue for the F1 Powerboat Championships, while in 2005 it hosted the Asian Canoeing Championships. This year from 17-19 May, Putrajaya Lake will have notched another feather in its cap as it hosts the third round of the Red Bull Air Race World Championships.
Mohammed Balooshi in front of the Putra Mosque
© Victor Fraile/Red Bull Content Pool
THE ICONIC MOSQUE
The pink coloured Putra Mosque is perhaps the most recognisable monument in the city. Located at the edge of the Putrajaya Lake the mosque was completed in early September 1999 and built at a cost of RM250 million. Utilising Middle Eastern as well as traditional Malay design elements, the Putra Mosque is able to accommodate up to 8000 worshippers in its main pray hall. In order to make the building stand out, architects used rose-tinted granite for the construction of the intricately designed domes. Although its purpose remains as a place of worship, the Putra Mosque has also carved a reputation for itself as one of Putrajaya’s main attractions.
THE INTELLIGENT GARDEN CITY
Although it may be viewed as a concrete jungle, Putrajaya also houses a number of green initiatives which have made it an intelligent garden city. Along with the Botanical Park, which features landscaped grounds and numerous plant species, there are several parks in the vicinity, which collectively act as a green lung for the city. In addition, Putrajaya, in keeping with its multimedia super corridor status, was developed with a state of a state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure, which encompasses fibre optic cabling, smart solution homes and buildings as well as a rain harvesting system designed to save water. All of the above contribute to Putrajaya’s commitment to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by 40% by the year 2020.
